Who Protects the Empire
by ZoologyKaM
Summary: Follows the path of Irken Miyuki as she prepares to become the tallest. Until the death of her predecessor throws her in the middle of two angry planets. Tallest Miyuki must prevent Irk and Vort from falling into an all-out war, never knowing that it's actually one of her best friends that's really the one pulling the strings.
1. Assignments

_**A/N: **__Yes Yes, I did stupidly start yet another story... I doubt this one will continue since no one really cares about OC's __**but you can leave a review if you want it to**__ and I'll see what I can do. _

_This story is sort of a prologue to Building a Resistance, in that it follows the reign of Tallest Miyuki from her initial assigning to her death by terrifying blobness and contains my OCs Varshlez and Blert who will eventually play a huge part in the resistance. Loosely connected with This is NOT a Diary, but will not go into the main plot of that story (if it continues). _

_Anyway I'd love to see reviews._

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**Chapter 1 - Assignments**

"Fifteen years and WE ARE OUT OF HERE!" At 5'3" in height, Blert dwarfed most of the class. His bright blue eyes were an unusually light shade for an Irken but he was proud of them, and they gleamed all the brighter with his excitement of finally being rid of the smeet school. His antennae, which had a rare double bend (down then up again) in them, were raised with excitement. "This is AWESOME!" He threw his hands up. "I can't Wait to hear my job!"

Miyuki was only an inch taller than Blert. She walked in between her two friends shaking her head. Her dark blue eyes were filled with worry; her gently curved antennae were low to match. "I can. I could wait for a few more years."

"Relax Miyu! I'm sure you won't end up being Tallest. There's plenty of guys taller than you in just our class." Blert clapped her on the shoulder smiling broadly, but his smile faded when their other friend spoke up with his usual realist attitude.

"If you're talking about Sizzlor, everyone knows he can't be tallest. He wouldn't fit the hover disc. Besides he hit his last growth spurt and stopped just short of 6 foot." Varshelz's large amber eyes were fixed on his book in front of him, his lack of interest was obvious as the group made their way down the hall following the other smeets on the way to receive their assignments. "Also, she doesn't get a choice in what to be. She's still growing. If the Control Brains decide she'll hit 6'4" then she's going to be tallest." As the shortest, albeit smartest, of the group, Varshlez had long since accepted that he had no choice in what his assignment was.

Miyuki buried her face in her hands, letting out a groan of doomedness.

"Thanks for the positivity there…" Blert put his arm around Myuki. "I'm sure you'd do great as Tallest if you got assigned to it."

Varshlez looked at the two of them from the corner of his eye, feeling jealous that he couldn't comfort her as well because he was over a foot shorter than them both. He looked back at his book. "I never said she wouldn't do the job well."

"No… I know you didn't Varshlez." Miyuki smiled but her antennae drooped. "I just don't really want to have the entire race depending on me to make good decisions."

"Your decision making is very good. I really don't think that's something to worry about."

"See Miyu! If the Yellow-eyed-brainiac says you're good then You are GOOD!"

Miyuki laughed. The trio hurried to catch up to the rest of their class. The smeets lined up outside a door where two Elite soldiers were posted on either side.

"Now that's what I want to get!" Blert said puffing out his chest. "Elite training."

"Well you are the best at combat in the class. If anyone is going to go elite then it will definitely be you."

"Haha Thanks Miyuki!" Blert turned to Varshlez who had finally packed up his book, in an attempt to take the situation seriously. "Anything you're hoping to get."

"Honestly? I'm hoping to become an ambassador. I've been hearing about a new planet we've come into contact with, Vort, I think. Well anyway their technology is supposed to be years ahead of even our own. Imagine what we could gain from working with them."

Miyuki covered a giggle with her hand. "Varshlez is always thinking about learning more."

"I know right!? As if he's not already an expert at everything Irken."

"I'm not an expert," Varshlez said flatly. Blert whipped around and pulled his friend into a painful antenna rubbing noogie.

"Yeah right."

The large door in front of them slid open and their instructor from the academy stepped out. He was a tall Irken, worthy of an administrative position, and had been allowed to choose to become head of the smeet training undergrounds. His pink eyes shone as he looked over his students. "Welcome to life Irken children! Or I suppose I should say your new life." A few smeets groaned with his overdramatic grandstanding. "From today on, each of you will be working for the betterment of your empire, and serving under our Almighty Tallest Zeknen. Your duties will be assigned, as we all know, by the Control Brains, who are the collection of all our knowledge. You will each present yourselves when your name is called." The instructor looked down at his clipboard. "Smeet Arkav."

And so it went. Each smeet's name was called in turn with seemingly no order to it at all.

"Smeet Blert."

"Wish me luck!" Blert winked at his friends before walking into the room. He emerged less than 2 minutes later with an expression of pure triumph. "Elite! I'm off to Hobo 12 for training!"

"Wow! That's the brand new training facility! I heard it's only for the best! Congrats Blert!" Miyuki ran up to congratulate her friend. Their celebration was cut short however when her name was called. She winced and looked to her friends for support. Blert gave her an idiotic smile with a double thumbs up. Varshlez smiled and nodded. Whatever she got, she knew they would be there for her.

Nearly ten minutes had passed before the massive door slid open. In exact contrast to her friend before her, Miyuki came out looking dejected. "…Future Tallest…" The other smeets in their class Ooo'd and Aaa'd with pats on the back and congratulations. It was only her true friends who responded with "We'll be there for you," which was probably the only thing that could bring her even close to smiling at that moment.

Hours passed and one by one the remaining smeets trickled in and out of the room. Most of them rushed off to their new posts as soon as they were free from the room, Some stayed an waited for their friends. But before long there were only 4 Irken's lingering in the hallway. The instructor, of course, Varshlez, who had yet to go, and his friends who waited anxiously to hear where the short Irken would be sent. The last smeet rushed out of the room, handed a paper with her assignment on it to the Instructor for approval, and then she too was on her way.

"Smeet Varshlez."

Varshlez didn't even look back at his friends. He knew they were there for him and didn't need a final glance to make him all the more emotional and nervous.

The room beyond the doors was so large that it seemed impossible that it could be within the outer measurements of the building. The lights were dim, enhancing the creepy powerfulness of the maroon color of the walls and ceiling. A single spotlight shone down on the floor in front of three Control Brains. The largest brain, in the middle, slid backwards ever so slightly. A wire extending to gesture for Varshlez, who had not noticed himself stop walking, to stand in the light.

"_Irken Varshlez. Height 4'2". Intelligance: superb. Technological skills: superb. Combat Capabilities: Negligible." _Varshlez said nothing in his defense. He knew his fighting skills were not good. There went elite, soldier, and invader assignments all out the window. _"We wish to pose several questions to you Irken smeet. Answer as truthfully as possible within your available knowledge." _Varshlez nodded, but he wondered if his friends had been subjected to questioning also. A wire extended from the Left brain and attached to his PAK. The Control Brains would know if he attempted to lie or hide the truth.

"_How much does Height matter, in the protection and preservation of the Irken Race?"_

Varshlez was taken aback. What kind of question was that? Everyone knew that the law said that height mattered. Otherwise Miyuki wouldn't be forced to become the Tallest. But even as he thought this, Varshelz knew what he really thought.

"Height is merely a means of a caste system. It is not a requirement and, as with everything, this system has a multitude of exceptions. As for the preservation of the race as a whole, I believe it is the intelligence and wisdom of the tall, as well as the short, that truly has an effect on our capability for continued survival."

Varshlez wanted to kick himself as soon as he said it. Height was the law, the law was the Control Brains… he had just indirectly questioned the authority of the beings that would be giving him the job for the remainder of his life. The Control Brains made no response to his statement.

_"Next question. Do you believe that it is right for one being to have all the authority?"_

Another trap question. He should answer, of course! The Almighty Tallest is Tallest for a reason… but again he found himself stalling.

"If the authority is held by one that is responsible with it… then the situation is acceptable. Splitting the power would keep one individual from destroying everything, but for a group to hold collective authority would be disastrous during a time of expansion, and in that regard it would be better to have a single Almighty Tallest."

Again?! Why did he continue to give answers that could easily get him deactivated? Was it the influence from the cord attached to his PAK? Were the Control Brains somehow feeding him the answer that they knew was right? And if so… why? What did they have to gain from causing him to question the inner workings of Irken society? But deep down Varshlez knew that these thoughts were his own.

_"Final question. Would you do anything for your Almighty Tallest?"_

A simple answer! Yes! Of course! No hesitation! … But yet again…

"I would do everything within my power to assist the Tallest, unless he or she became involved in an act that I truly believed to be wrong."

Stupid! He was going to get deactivated for sure now! But still the Brains made no responses.

A warmth spread throughout his PAK like a small fire rising. Suddenly his mind was filled with information and memories that were not his own, flashing by so quickly that he could never hope to comprehend them all. The heat from his PAK spread to the rest of his body, growing hotter and hotter, until he was sure that his fleshy brain was on fire. And then, it was over. His body cooled to its normal temperature. Varshlez fell to his hands and knees panting from sudden exhaustion.

"What on Irk was that!?" He yelled without a single though of how disrespectful the outburst might be. He could feel the strange new memories in the corner of his mind wishing to present themselves so he could understand them. It took all his mental effort to push them away. He nearly forgot everything around him until the middle Control Brain spoke again.

_"Irken Varshlez, you have been assigned to become an Observer."_

Varshelz blinked, still on his knees, and looked up to the Brains. What in the Tallests name is an Observer? That doesn't even sound like a real assignment! What the blorch would I be observing? Shakily, Varshlez got to his feet as the Right Brain spoke in a feminine sounding voice, giving answer to his unspoken questions.

_"Observers are the silent protectors of the Irken empire. You report directly to us, the Control Brains. Your duty is to learn of all inner workings of Irken politics and to guide them in a way that will bring about the preservation and growth of the race."_

"You're insane… That's the Tallest's job! Protection, Preservation, and Growth. Those are what the Tallest is meant to see to as he or she leads. And what the dookie were those memories you downloaded into my PAK!? There's no way that having memories that aren't mine Won't have an adverse effect!" Varshlez stomped his foot on the ground. His three-fingered gloved hands balled into fists at his sides. "I don't care if you are the collection of all knowledge on Irk, You have no right to mess with my PAK like that. Observer isn't even a real assignment! What do you expect me to observe huh!? You stupid things must be broken or something! It's not a real assignment! Put me as an ambassador, or pilot, or even a technician would be more useful to the empire than whatever the blorch this Observer dookie is!" He stood breathing heavily for a moment.

_"Are you finished?" _

"Not quite." Varshlez walked out of the spotlight, the cord attached to his PAK dragging on the ground behind him, and kicked over a small machine by the wall. It didn't make him feel better though. Showing emotions were bad enough… but he'd done it in front of the beings that could label him as defective. And why? He'd never felt like kicking something over when he got angry before. It just seemed the right thing to do. But why? "Ok, now I'm done."

The Left Brain was the one to speak next, _"For this assignment, your PAK data has been set to the label of Technician. You are to tell no one of your true assignement."_

What assignment? They haven't really even told me what I'm supposed to do! Varshlez was furious. His antennae vibrated with pent up rage.

_"You are to report to the Tallest-in-training as her personal assistant."_

"WHAT! YOU WANT ME TO SPY ON MIYUKI!? WHY WOULD I EVER AGREE TO THAT!?"

_"Because if you don't,"_ the Right Brain said, _"We will find another that will, and you will be deactivated to keep the knowledge of the Observers hidden. Our records show you are already close to the Tallest-in-Training. If that is the case you should be better prepared to protect and guide her."_

Varshlez could make no argument to this, and he didn't really want another Irken to get close to her with such a motive. At least this would allow him to stay close to her… "What exactly do I have to do?"

_"Your duties shall become known to you as time passes." _The middle brain said.

Varslez raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Oh yeah that helps so much…

_"Your first priority is the race as a whole, never allow an individual Irken to cloud your judgment. As you are merely an assistant, you have no authority of your own but must work through the authority of others to do what is best for the Irken race. We shall be checking up on you ever now and again."_ The cord on his PAK detached, a paper slid out of a nearby machine, and silence fell on the room. Varshlez took this as a signal that he was to leave now with no more arguments. Out of Duty more than care or respect, Varshlez gave the Brains a quick salute, grabbed his assignment sheet, then stormed out of the room.

Outside his friends rushed over to him.

"Dude, what happened? Are you okay!?"

"What? I'm fine."

"Varshlez you were in there for nearly half an hour…" Miyuki's eyes bore down on him with worry, and guilt wrenched at his speedlyspooch. He put on the best smile he could manage and assured his friends that he was fine. To escape their gazes, Varshlez hurried to give his instructor the assignment paper.

The instructor looked at the sheet in surprise. "Technician…?"

"What!?" Blert rushed over to look at the paper. "There's no way!" It was common knowledge that Technician was the easiest job in the empire because most machines ran themselves, and what needed fixing had set instructions that could be downloaded into any Technician's PAK so they didn't really even need to learn much about what they did. To put the smartest smeet in their class as a Technician… well to say the least, it was a shock.

Their instructor cleared his throat and pulled the paper away from Blert. "It says here that you're assigned to be the personal assistant to the Tallest-in-Training." Miyuki's eyes widened. Varzhlez nodded.

"But… no… I… I mean he… but that's…" Whatever Miyuki was trying to say was lost as she slipped into silence. She knew his smile was faked the instant it crossed his face.

"I shall serve you to the best of my ability."

Tears welled up in Miyuki's eyes when Varshlez bowed to her. "But… No… I… I don't want this."

"It is our duty as Irkens. We will do what we must for our species." His eyes were on the floor. To guide the Tallest… I guess I can do that… and maybe Miyuki will one day forgive me for the betrayal of her trust…

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**To be continued? **


	2. Our Journey Begins

_**A/N: **__Hey There! Thank you to the few people that read this I'm really actually enjoying writing this. It's slow for now because of school and writing for my more popular fan fics but hopefully I'll be finishing one or two of those before too long. _

_Anyway Hope you like this chapter! Please leave a review!_

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**Chapter 2 – Our Journey Begins**

It was early in the morning, according to the planetary synchronous clocks that hung on the walls in the smeet living quarters, when Varshlez made his way to Miyuki's room. "You got everything?" he asked, walking in and dropping his own bag by the wall.

"I think so." Even as she said this, Miyuki was still rushing around the room tossing things over her shoulder at a pile on the floor that might have a bag under it somewhere. She ran from one side of her room to the other, sorting out what to take and what to send to recycling.

"Uniforms?"

"Yep."

"Assignment papers?"

"Yep."

"Custom tool kit?"

"Yep."

"Antennae band from Blert?"

"Yeah like I'd really forget that…"

Varshlez laughed and went over to start organizing her stuff. "Just making sure." Irkens always travel light because they never have much that belongs to them.

"Yeah yeah I know, but let's hurry and get out of here."

She's the one with packing still to do, Varshlez thought, but instead he asked, "What's the rush?"

Miyuki hesitated. Shaking her head, she said, "I just don't really feel like having all our instructors bowing to me like they have been the past week," she said hurriedly, then as if trying to change the subject, she asked, "so where are we heading again?" She tossed a long rod that was a spare tip to one of her PAK extensions, on top of the pile. It was longer than the bag Varshlez had unearthed so when she was distracted digging through her closet he quietly rolled it under the bed. Let the next smeet wonder where it came from.

"First stop is Control Brain's tower, we're meeting with Adviser Tiff , who will take us to the cruiser that's going to rendezvous with Almighty Tallest Zeknen's ship." He had their orders memorized from hours of lying awake over the past few nights.

A small screen slid out of Varshlez's PAK and hung down in front of his face as they walked. "Transport vessel DC1412. Once we're onboard they're supposed to take us to meet with the Almighty Tallest, where ever he is at the moment."

Miyuki groaned, "Ohhh… I'm so nervous… I mean… actually meeting the Tallest?!"

"If just meeting him bothers you then what will you do when you get the job yourself?"

"I don't even want to think about that yet…"

When they arrived at the elevator leaving the Smeet School, they found a mob of people. Every one of their former instructors was present to wish the future Tallest well. Shaking hands and being bowed to did nothing to help Miyuki's nerves. She made a break for the elevator tube to the surface as soon as she was able.

Instructor Kibanu, the technologies teacher who Miyuki had always been close to, laughed when Miyuki disappeared in the shoot. "Thanks for letting us know when you two were leaving Sme… I mean .. Assistant Varshlez." She itched behind her antenna covering up her mistake, "change in titles is going to take some getting used to with you two." She smiled and saluted him.

Varshlez waved off her show of respect, "we're equals now, no need to salute. And don't worry about it, I couldn't just let her leave, she would have regretted not saying goodbye."

"She really has such a kind heart." Kibanu said, smiling up at the tube. She shrugged then lightly punched Varshelz on the arm, "you take care of her, you hear me? That girls too sweet for politics."

Varshelz shook his head, "you're wrong about that. That exact sweetness is what we need in politics."

"A truer word never spoken. You sure you're the same smeet that used to cry in my Technologies class?"

Varshelz's antennae dropped and shoulders hunched, "I never cried."

Kibanu laughed and gave him a pat on the head. The two of them were the same height so they were able to look each other right in the eyes. "You take care of yourself. Don't work too hard."

Varshelz gazed towards the tube, "I'll do what I have to." He gave his former Instructors one last farewell before going into the elevator. Lights flashed by, a calming shade of darkened pink. He sighed inwardly. _What I have to do… _The elevator opened up as he reached the grand entrance to the Control Brain's tower, directly in the middle of the Irken capital city.

XXX

"Glad to finally meet you in person, my future Tallest." Advisor Tiff was an Irken of average height, maybe an inch taller than Varshlez. His eyes were a dull pink, matching perfectly with his plain high collared dull grey uniform. The only thing in his appearance that didn't look ordinary were the two piercings at the ends of his antennae. Clipboard in hand, he smiled at the two of them.

"Just Miyuki is fine."

Advisor Tiff laughed and shook his head. "Nervous huh? Well my job is to fix that. I'll be helping you get used to being around people of importance and being called by your title." Miyuki groaned.

Varshlez laughed and reached out to shake hands with the Advisor. "Pleased to meet you, I'm Varshlez." Advisor Tiff smiled and shook his hand.

"Likewise. Alright," he said clapping his gloved hands together. "We've got a long trip ahead of us so we should get going. We're headed to planet Vort where Almighty Zeknen is working on a galactic treaty." Varshlez's eyes lit up.

"Are you serious! That's awesome! I mean…" he coughed trying to hide his outburst, "how fascinating…" Miyuki laughed. Varshlez ducked his head, he was supposed to be the mature one of the group and he'd just acted like a child. "So uhh.. How long of a trip will that be?"

There was a twinkle in Tiff's eye, "In a normal Irken Voot runner? It's a 7 day journey. However you two are in for a real treat."

XXX

"Oh… My…. TALLEST! THIS IS AMAZING!" Miyuki ran circles around the Vortian deluxe cruiser, her eyes alight. The hull coating! The engine design! It's a work of PURE GENIUS! She screamed in her mind, loud enough to let out a squeal of delight. "How I wish I could take it apart and find out how it works!"

"I'm afraid doing that might make it hard to fly." A very short horned alien with bluish grey skin and beady eyes, wearing a light blue flight suit, stepped out of the ship.

"Future-Tallest Miyuki, Varshlez, I'd like you both to meet Captain Vess Nar. She's the pilot for our trip. Captain, this young lady here is our future Almighty Tallest."

"Pleasure to meet you." The Captain smiled kindly, her beady eyes blinked behind her thick dark green goggles. "Well then, shall we get going?" She asked, turning toward Advisor Tiff.

"Yes of course." Addressing Miyuki, Tiff said, "Future-Tallest Miyuki, why don't you go in with the Captain and get settled. I'm sure she'd be happy to answer any questions you have about the ship." Tiff turned and placed his arm across Varshlez's shoulder, turning the two of them away from the ship.

"Hmm? Aren't you coming?" Her long curled antennae swung back and forth curiously.

"I'm just going to have a quick word with Varshlez then we'll join you." Varshlez noticed that the Advisor was built like a soldier as he was led away.

Miyuki gazed after them, a knot had formed in her squeedlyspooch for a reason she just couldn't pinpoint. Something about the way Advisor Tiff looked at Varshlez… like he felt sorry for him…

"Well my dear, how would you like a tour of my ship?"

All anxiety she had just felt was instantly forgotten. "YES PLEASE!"

XXX

"Does it ever get easier?" It had been a bit of a shock to learn that there were in fact other's assigned as Watcher. In the same way that he, Varshlez, had been assigned to 'assist' Miyuki, Advisor Tiff had been assigned to 'assist' his friend Zeknen.

Tiff sighed and shook his head, "No it doesn't, though whether that is bad or good… I've yet to decide."

Varshlez leaned out over the balcony. The view from the 100th floor of Center Tower was breathtaking; or it would have been if the mood weren't so dour. The vast city streets lay stretched out before him. This was his first time seeing the city from above, and it could be the last for some time. "I just don't understand… a Watcher… what does that even mean?"

Tiff leaned his back on the railing, smiling up at the sky, a bitter smile. "We are the silent protectors of order."

"But even if you say it like that…" Looking down at the city, all that Varshelz could see was Miyuki's face. "She's my friend… how can I just go behind her back?"

"You'll do what you have to."

"Well maybe I don't want to."

"Ha! As if we get a choice. Trust me Varsh, you'll see how important our job is soon enough." Varshlez just glared at the sky. The wind tugged at his robe. Tiff patted him on the back and jerked his head at the door. "Come on. We should be leaving. Oh, almost forgot." He turned back and tossed up a small silver orb.

Varshlez barely caught the tiny sphere. "What's this?"

"Call it your one phone call."

"Of course, after all this job is a kind of prison."

Tiff's face went from joking to dead serious, "contrary to what you may think, the Control Brains _do_ realize what they're asking us to do. As compensation, you get to make one request of the empire. A request without limits; as long as it doesn't reveal your true position that is."

"I think I would call that a limit, wouldn't you?"

Tiff shrugged.

Varshlez stared down at the sphere. A small groove ran along its middle, probably opening to some switch or communicator. If this is the only help I get, I'd better be certain before using it. He stowed the sphere in his pocket then followed Tiff back inside.

"Look on the bright side," Tiff said, "You won't have to do much until she's officially Tallest, and that won't be for a while."

"Right."

When they arrived back at the ship, even the gloom of an impossible mission couldn't stand up to Miyuki's shining face as she went on and on about how cool Vort technology was. If anything good came from this situation, it was that he would be allowed to stay close to her.

XXX

"ATTEEENTION!" The drill sergeant yelled at the new trainees. None of them looked particularly special. Maybe one or two , but most of them were your typical flunkies that couldn't learn anything other than how to fight. He continued down the line as the fresh-from-assignment-Irkens, barely-into-maturity-Vortians, and other scattered-yet-still-pathetic-looking-species, stood in salute, until one caught his eye. "What are you smiling at Private?" he yelled.

Blert's eyes were open and excited; he had a huge grin spread across his face, "Just happy to be here Sir!"

The drill sergeant didn't even crack a smile, even though in his mind he was amending his statement of there not being any interesting trainees. "Happy?! Are you thinking this will be easy soldier?!"

"No Sir! That's why I am happy! Sir!"

That time it was a struggle to not smile. Just from the look in this kid's bright blue eyes, the sergeant could tell that the kid wasn't trying to be a smartass. He was genuinely (though stupidly) happy. "Well if you're so happy why don't you lead these sad saps on a lap around the planet?!" the trainee blinked at him. _Guess he's not as happy as he thought. _"That a problem soldier?!"

"Is that really okay?" the kid's voice dropped under the usual yelled response.

"Is what okay soldier?! You think I'm not serious?!" The drill sergeant yelled leaning into the recruits face.

"No Sir!" he yelled back, "I only asked if I am really allowed to lead the group, Sir!"

The drill sergeant was shocked. He took a step back and examined the trainee. His appearance was unusual for an Irken; ice blue eyes with darker than average skin were odd enough, but he was taller than most Irkens sent to be soldiers. The Sergeant regularly trained a multitude of species for different planets. His training was rigorous… but even he wasn't stupid enough to send fresh from the barrel trainees on a jog around the planet on the first day. _No good…_ he couldn't hold it anymore and busted out laughing.

"You wanna lead? Fine then. Pack up your stuff children!" he yelled at the rest of the group. "We're going to spend this first week on a little hike."


End file.
